How to burn the most calories moving

One of the downsides to moving is that it disrupts your routine. Youre planning your moving schedule, making a moving checklist, packing, and focusing on the move. Its hard to make time for normal mealtimes, exercise and other daily activities. If youre someone who benefits from a regular workout, you may find it gets dropped from your plans. But guess what? You can get some terrific exercise from the activities involved in moving.

Calories per Hour CalculatorIf youve packed moving boxes and run up and down the stairs with them, you know youre exerting a lot of energy. But how many calories are you burning? Use an online calorie burning calculator that lets you plug in your sex, the activity, time involved and then gives you the results. For instance, if you are a woman and youre packing boxes, you are burning 240 calories an hour.

For each hour of other moving-related actions:

Moving furniture: 420 calories/hour

Cleaning and sweeping: 300 calories/hour

Walking without items in hands: 300 calories/hour

If you do all of the activities above for four hours, youll burn a total of 1,260 calories! Thats a great workout.

Burning the Most CaloriesEven though you may be missing your time on the treadmill or at the gym when youre busy moving, its easy to see that those moving-related activities will give you plenty of exercise. The key to burning the most calories when moving is to do stretches of continuous work packing and moving items in your home.

Mind Your Food IntakeOf course you know that no matter how many calories your burn while pushing those boxes around, one too many trips for fast food will cancel out that good work. Its reasonable to expect that eating healthy will be challenging when youre moving, but try to fit in as much good-for-you-food as you can. Be sure to take breaks, drink plenty of water and get some rest, too.

Watch Your Back (And Neck, Legs and Arms)Dont try to show off on move day by lifting a large box full of books and throwing out your back. Take precautions and use a dolly, hand truck and lifting straps for heavy items. Be sure to bend from your knees, not your lower back. Do plenty of stretching before, during and after your move activities.